The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival rolls on this Thursday at Flemington where our attention turns to the talented 3YO fillies who will line up in the day’s feature race, the G1 VRC Oaks.
A field of 14 will compete over the 2500m staying test for a chance to win a share of the $1 million in prize money.
The Matt Laurie-trained Treasurethe Moment has been installed as the Ladbrokes favourite for the race after her G2 Wakeful Stakes win.
The Wakeful Stakes has been the predominant form race for the Oaks with 11 of the past 20 winners coming through it.
In 2024, which filly’s name will go up alongside the likes of Light Fingers, Surround, Miss Finland and Zardozi on the honour roll as a VRC Oaks winner?
We’ll do our best to answer that question in our comprehensive look at each horse in this year’s field. (Prices current at time of publish)
1. Treasurethe Moment (12)
Price: $3.30
The daughter of Alabama Express enters the time-honoured feature in red hot form having won her past three starts.
She kicked off her winning run on The Hillside track where she never went around a horse to win by 1.3 lengths over 1400m.
Two starts back over a mile at Caulfield the Matt Laurie-trained filly enjoyed a nice run on speed before finding the line best in the final furlong to win by a neck.
She relaxed beautifully over 2000m in the Wakeful Stakes on Saturday before producing a devastating turn of foot to put her rivals to the sword and win by 1.8 lengths.
Given how powerful she was through the line, she should have no problem running out a strong 2500m and therefore is the one they all must beat.
2. Too Darn Discreet (3)
Price: $8.00
Just like Treasurethe Moment, the Dan O’Sullivan-trained filly enters the Oaks in tremendous form looking to win her fourth race in a row.
The daughter of Too Darn Hot demonstrated that she was a stayer in the making when she fought tooth and nail for a large portion of The Hillside track to win narrowly over 1500m three starts back.
In pouring rain, she ran on strongly from well back to win the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes by just under a length but it was soft on the line.
She’s a fighter and that was proven once again last start in the G3 Ethereal Stakes where she wanted to hang in and was one rein while being attacked by Jenni’s Meadow yet still found a way to power through the line for a neck victory.
She’s been building nicely throughout this preparation and looks more than capable of running the trip out strongly.
Make no mistake, this filly is a genuine contender.
3. Harlem Queen (5)
Price: $7.00
The Nathan Doyle-trained filly opened her preparation in fine style with back-to-back wins at Newcastle and Kembla Grange where she broke her maiden and won a Class 1.
She caught the eye in the G1 Flight Stakes when doing her best work at the end of the mile contest to finish 3.3 lengths second to Lady Shenandoah.
Last start she produced a very good Oaks audition when finding the line strongly despite a wide run to finish two lengths fourth in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes.
That performance suggested she will have no problem with the 2500m and the winner, El Castello ran well for fifth in the G1 Victoria Derby.
She’ll appreciate racing against her own sex and Blake Shinn taking the ride is a positive.
For mine she looks the best Oaks chance of those that come out of the Spring Champion Stakes and can run well.
4. Rag Queen (4)
Price: $21.00
The David Payne-trained filly raced a touch flat in her first two runs back this preparation but improved third-up in the G3 Gloaming Stakes.
After tracking the eventual winner, she finished off as good as any other horse in the 1800m contest to finish 2.5 lengths fourth.
They applied blinkers last start in the Spring Champion Stakes to alleviate her tendency to hit a flat spot in the straight, but it didn’t have the desired effect as she weakened to finish 3.9 lengths seventh.
I’m happy for her to go around without me.
5. Powers Of Opal (9)
Price: $3.80
The John Sargent-trained filly created a massive impression two starts back when bolting in to break her maiden status by 5.5 lengths over 1600m at Hawkesbury.
On the back of that performance, punters sent the daughter of Ocean Park around in the Wakeful Stakes as a heavily backed $1.85 favourite.
She tracked Treasurethe Moment in the run and fought bravely in the straight but just couldn’t eat into the gap and finished 1.8 lengths second with a massive 4.3 length margin back to third.
James McDonald remains in the saddle which is a big plus.
She’s rock hard fit and is bred to stay so there’s no reason why she can’t give the Oaks a tremendous tilt.
6. Pleasure Artist (6)
Price: $11.00
The Richard & Will Freedman-trained filly is only lightly raced and looks to have potential.
She broke through for her first win three starts ago at Kembla Grange where she won in gritty fashion over 1400m.
The daughter of Trapeze Artist was excellent two starts ago when running on powerfully from the back to finish 2.3 lengths second in the Listed Dulcify Stakes.
Last start in the Spring Champion Stakes, she couldn’t get clear until a furlong to go but ran on fairly to go across the line with Harlem Queen in fifth.
She looked to feel it late so I have queries with her stepping up to 2500m.
7. Talisay (8)
Price: $41.00
The South Australian visitor produced a very good effort last start in the Wakeful Stakes.
She settled a long way back but worked home strongly, producing the third quickest closing sectionals of the race, to finish sixth by 7.7 lengths.
The Byron Cozamanis-trained daughter of Pride Of Dubai was doing her best work late two starts ago in the Hill Stakes at Morphettville where she finished third by 2.8 lengths to subsequent Victoria Derby winner Goldrush Guru.
She looks like she’ll love the rise to 2500m and while I don’t think she can win, she certainly looks over the odds and can place.
8. Femminile (13)
Price: $17.00
The Phillip Stokes-trained filly didn’t do a great deal when returning to the races for the first time after winning the Listed Oaklands Plate.
She improved second-up when running on well to finish 3.5 lengths sixth in the Super Impose Stakes.
Her upward trajectory continued last start in the Ethereal Stakes where she tried hard along the rail to finish 0.7L third to Too Darn Discreet.
She’ll be at peak fitness fourth-up but an outside barrier is not ideal.
9. Killcare Beachgirl (2)
Price: $23.00
The Waterhouse & Bott-trained filly gave a good account of herself last start in the Wakeful Stakes when finishing a distant third.
I’m happy to put a line through her given in her past three starts, she’s led Too Darn Discreet twice and Treasurethe Moment once and on each occasion has been easily run down by those horses.
That doesn’t bode well over even further.
10. Noises (11)
Price: $61.00
The aptly named daughter of Microphone kicked off this preparation with a solid second placing before putting together back-to-back wins in Maiden and Class 1 company.
Following a four week freshen up, she dropped back to a mile two starts ago and was strong through the line as the runner up in a BM72 at Warwick Farm.
The Brad Widdup-trained filly was thrown in the deep end last start in the Spring Champion Stakes and didn’t aim up, weakening after leading to finish 4.4 lengths eighth.
This looks too rich for her.
11. Hurry Curry (7)
Price: $23.00
The Danny O’Brien-trained filly’s preparation was disrupted on Saturday when she reared in the gates, smashing jockey Jamie Kah’s nose which forced her to be a late scratching.
Prior to that the daughter of Ocean Park had been racing well.
She won at Bairnsdale three starts ago before powering through the line to win the Crown Oaks Preview over 1800m here.
Last start she chased well but peaked on her run to finish 2.8 lengths fifth in the Ethereal Stakes.
Saturday’s run would have topped her off nicely so I’m reluctant to support her given she looked like she needed it.
12. Inevitable Truth (1)
Price: $35.00
The John Sargent-trained filly gives every indication she’ll love 2500m.
Three starts back she was held up in the Crown Oaks Prelude before hitting the line strongly to finish 1.5 lengths second.
In the Ethereal Stakes she was doing her best work late which was again the case last start when she ran through the line nicely to finish fourth in the Wakeful Stakes.
She’s still a maiden and she most likely won’t get her first win here, but she can sneak into the placings at a big price.
13. Placid Pearl (14)
Price: $67.00
The Matthew Smith-trained filly won her first race last start when claiming a Class 1 Plate over 2200m at Scone.
She draws the outside barrier and there’s easier targets available to her.
14. All Kinds Of Folk (10)
Price: $126.00
The John & Chris Ledger-trained is still a maiden after five starts and has been well beaten in the main lead up races after a shock fourth in the Edward Manifold Stakes.
The Judgement
Treasurethe Moment keeps rising to the occasion and I was greatly impressed by the way she won the Wakeful Stakes last start.
It may have been slowly run, but I loved the way she let down and was able to keep Powers Of Opal at bay.
She ran through the line which boosted my confidence in her ability to run out a strong 2500m.
Damian Lane can settle in a handy position and give his mount every chance.
Selections:
1st – Treasurethe Moment (1)
2nd – Too Darn Discreet (2)
3rd – Powers Of Opal (5)
4th – Inevitable Truth (12)